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Egyptian Artifacts

Frog Amulet

How cute is this frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† amuletΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†?!?!

Frog Amulet at the MET

In ancient Egyptian religion and culture, amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were thought to have magical π“Ž›π“‚“π“„Ώπ“œ powers and bestow them upon its wearer. Β Worn by both the living and the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱, different amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ served various religious and protective functions. To understand the frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† amulet’sΒ π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†Β function we need to understand the significance of the frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† in ancient Egyptian religion and culture!Β 

Scientifically speaking, frogs π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“†π“¦ would appear after the flooding of the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί, so they were associated with life π“‹Ή/the regenerative qualities of water π“ˆ—. Not only is water π“ˆ— necessary for humans to consume, but also for irrigating land for agriculture. 

The frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† is also associated with the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ Heqet π“Ž›π“ˆŽπ“π“† who is represented as a woman with a frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† head. Also, the frog determinative 𓆏 appears in her name π“‚‹π“ˆ– so she was clearly associated with frogs π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“†π“¦. Heqet π“Ž›π“ˆŽπ“π“† was the goddess π“ŠΉπ“ of birth and rebirth. She also protected π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ women π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“π“ͺ during the childbirth process. 

Frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were worn by women π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“π“ͺ for both protection π“…“π“‚π“Ž‘π“€œ during childbirth and for an easy childbirth. Frog π“ˆŽπ“‚‹π“‚‹π“† amulets π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…†π“ͺ were also found on mummies π“‡‹π“Ήπ“…±π“€Ύπ“ͺ of both men π“Šƒπ“€€π“ͺ and women π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“π“ͺ, with the purpose that the amulet π“Šπ“Šͺπ“…† would help them with a successful rebirth in the afterlife π“‡Όπ“„Ώπ“π“‰.